Under the HSA specifications, program execution can be
offloaded to other processing resources such as GPUs in
servers, PCs and mobile devices. By allowing parallel code
execution across CPUs, GPUs and other processors, AMD hopes the
chips will deliver performance improvements while drawing less
power.

Kaveri will first reach desktops in January and will follow in
laptops. The chips will also be used in servers and embedded
systems.

The chips promise to bring console-style gaming to PCs by combining
AMD's latest graphics and CPU processors code-named
Steamroller, Su said. Kaveri will have up to four CPU cores and
eight GPU cores, with the graphics based on the same technology
used in the upcoming Microsoft Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation
4 gaming consoles. The GPU will be composed of 8 GCN 1.1 CUs, which would put the SP count at 512 SPs (equivalent to desktop Radeon HD 7750).

The new APU will deliver up to 856 gigaflops of performance and
outperform Intel's fastest PC chip, code-named Haswell, Su said.

The HSA Foundation is also releasing APIs so programmers can
write programs without worrying about what hardware the code
will be executed on.

FM2+ shipments to AMD's customers are slated to begin in late
2013 with initial availability in desktop offerings scheduled for Jan. 14, 2014.